AKSG Tasks FG, W’Bank On Erosion Control

The Akwa Ibom State Government has appealed to the Federal Government and World Bank to assist in tackling erosion and environmental challenges facing the State.
The Commissioner for Environment, Mr Iniobong Essien, made the appeal at a media enlightenment programme on Sustainable Development and Climate Change in Uyo.
“We’re seeking the assistance of the World Bank through the Nigeria Erosion Water Management Project (NEWMAP).
“We’re hoping that they’ll be able to come in and take a look and see how they can put in some money to help us tackle erosion and other environmental challenges’’, Essien said.
The commissioner, who noted that 1,000 gully erosion sites had been documented in the state, said that he coordinated the documentation of the sites.
He stated that with the number of documented erosion sites, Akwa Ibom ranks amongst states with worse gully erosion menace in the country.
Essien said the state government had started talks with relevant federal agencies and the World Bank to see how immediate solutions could be proffered to the problems.
He gave assurance that the engagement with the relevant federal bodies was yielding considerable results.
“We’re seeking the Federal Government`s cooperation and partnership with the World Bank and ecological funds, and we have reached advanced stages.
“We are in dire need of funds to intervene in the menace we have found ourselves on gully erosion because what we have in the state is alarming’’, he said.
He said some key partners had visited the state to see things for themselves and expressed hope that steps taken would remedy the situation.
Essien said that the state government, in partnership with NEWMAP, had done three designs adding that two of the designs had been approved.
The commissioner said that the state government was taking drastic actions against illegal sand dredgers, as a measure to curb human-induced environmental disasters.

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